I did see that they don't allow alcohol at any university function on or off campus

At Tulane, the rule was no alcohol at university functions to which undergrads were invited. So at the undergrad math seminars, there would be a reception afterwards with soda and cookies, but for the grad seminars (which I went to a bunch of my junior and senior years, even though I technically was not invited) the reception was wine and cheese. That rule went into place in the middle of my freshman year, and the French department, which always had wine after their seminars, was just furious.

Stinkin' libruls.

My father, who used to eat only iceberg lettuce in his salads, has started eating arugula whenever my mom buys it, to show his solidarity with the arugula-eating elitist liberals.

Oh my god. They're a major health care institution in that region, which just squicks me out so much worse.

Our head of IT, E, who is super smart, funny, politically astute and whom I adore, was (not)married to one of my colleagues for seven or eight years. Not married because they're both men of course. (They since divorced, which is the term R used when he told me what was going on.)

I was look at E's bio for something where we needed to identify everyone's degrees and he went to...Bob Jones University.

It's been like two years since this happened and I still haven't wrapped my mind around that one.

I was look at E's bio for something where we needed to identify everyone's degrees and he went to...Bob Jones University.

At Cedarville U., we referred to the place as Bob Jones Versus Unity.

I don't think I could teach students to "assess information from a Christian perspective."

I certainly respect that, but I have to wonder how math would be taught from any religious perspective. I mean 2+2 always equals 4, no matter who you pray to, right?

These days I think you'd be surprised.

Earlier people were talking about how they put off those evil task forever-- and then find out it only took 20 min.

Well, some friends needed a place to stay for a night while we are away -- we offered them our house...but they said no. Today they said yes. Our bedroom -- in one hour - the most negelected room in the house took 1 hour to clean . That is all. It is not beautiful or perfectly clean -- and I did hide my clean laundry. But only an hour. Seriously, if we just did something to it once a week...

I think it is best to stay away from institutions that you would have to be less of yourself rather than more

What if I can't finish it? What if it's not good enough to pass?

You can. It will be (that's the definition of finished). It wouldn't be a dissertation without at least one good existential crisis.

As for jobs at Christian universities, some are more hard core than others. I have a Jewish friend who was hired at a christian uni and had a great 7 years--until they decided not to give her tenure. That part sucked.

"Are you Catholic, or are you Christian?"

I'm sorry, but that made me laugh. Like the "are you reform or Jewish?" one.

First Kick

Hello, baby!

Also, Hil. I know that where you are can seems completely despairish sometimes, but you might rushing into conclusion. Not that I blame you for that, having Clueless as an advisor.

But, as Smart Nilly says, we do what we can do when we're ready to do it. Not a minute before, not a minute after. You might feel stuck now, and by next week figure out something amazing. You might only figuring it out in 2 or 5 years from now, but it doesn't mean anything about your mathematical or human capabilities. It's just, all about timing, and the right people.

I'm trying to put it in a way that will look comforting and not "surrender to destiny" way, and I'm not sure I'm doing too well.

Anyway, please don't listen to that advisor.

"Baylor hires only Christians and Jews.... the school gives hiring preference to Baptists first, followed by other Protestant evangelicals, then other Protestants, other Christians, and lastly Jews."

Thank doG I'm a New Yorker!

(I know, it's not a Texan thing, it's a Baylor thing)

Yes, the scary part is, they are one of the leading medical institutions around here. They got a hospital here in Dallas.